Friday, December 19, 2008

If I had more stamina I would attempt to break down all the new releases with you but given that it's now December 19th (where did the year go...?) that means the movie releasing is generally out of control. Openings aren't just on Fridays anymore. If you live in a major market you'll soon be able to see everything. This year has been very disappointing to me in that they withheld the prestige releases even more than usual. You may be asking yourself: Why does he care? He lives in NYC and he gets to see things before they open? I care because I think movies are most fun when they're communal. And my community as a OCD film blogger is y'all and the rest of the movie bloggers. I'm tired of the Oscar race being an abstraction for 95% of moviegoers... Seeing trailers is a poor way to judge performances and movies.

It's basically like Hollywood is Santa and he can only be bothered to deliver prezzies once a year. And he doesn't go down every chimney either. Only chimneys in the major markets were nice. The rest of you are naughty!

And HAPPYHOLIDAYS !!!if you're about to travel. Posting will be a bit lighter over the next week since I'll be travelling myself and Christmas'ing but if you're around there'll still be stuff to read. Have Yourself a Merry One.

My whole family is gonna see Benjamin Button on X-Mas day. It should be fun,last year we saw Sweeney Todd and almost died on the drive home! You gotta love these Iowa winters! I just realized that if on the way home I had died in the snowstorm, it would've been somewhat poetic as Mrs. Lovett (my personal hero) died in an oven, which is quite the opposite of a snowstorm.

I live in a city with population of 300,000 and that has 5 theatres, yet most of the "Oscar movies" won't play here til January if they do at all. Rachel Getting Married and Happy-Go-Lucky never played here. Its so frustrating not be able to really be involved having not actually seen the movies.

Over the holidays I will be in New York City. I plan to see as many art-oriented films as possible. I couldn't care less about Benjamin Button, Gran Torino, or Adam Sandler's new movie.

I'm sure I'll catch Revolutionary Road, The Class, The Secret of the Grain, Synedoche, New York if it still playing, something at the Film Forum or the Cinema Village, and maybe even Harry Potter at the Ziegfield.

Many Oscar movies won't be here in Cleveland until January (and believe it or not, this is one of the better cities for movies).

Aside from merry-making, shopping (Oh yeah, I should start that) and the busiest week of the year at work, little energy is left for anything else. Seeing movies is still possible, but fighting crowds is undesirable. So I'm okay with waiting until Jan most years. I'll catch Milk and/or Slumdog Millionaire, which are both open here, and then play catch up.

Having seen The Wrestler and Slumdog Millionaires yesterday, I'm nearly done with the Oscar hopefuls (again, the benefits of living in NY). All I have left to see is Benjamin Button (which I'll be doing on X-Mas day) and Revolutionary Road.

I MAY see Get off my lawn (aka Grand Torino) and I Loved You So Long but I don't think it's likely that I will. I'll probably check out Valkyrie, though.

I'm seeing Vicky Cristina Barcelona on Sunday. It doesn't actually open until Boxing Day (Dec 26) but it's in advance screenings and I won a free double pass so I need to take advantage. I really hope I can convince some friends to go see Benjamin Button on Boxing Day though - an odd occurance of Australia getting an Oscar film at the same time as America! - or, if not that, then Slumdog Millionaire which opened yesterday, things are a bit busy atm so I doubt I'll get to see that before Christmas.

Seeing Frost/Nixon while the advance screenings are on here in Australia. I also managed to grab tickets to an advnace screening to Slumdog last weekend. Advnaced screenings in Australia are the only way to keep up with all the US blogs and websites!

Yes, Dean,I live in a city of about 300,000, and there are five movie theaters which all play the same five big-budget movies, even though I live in a college town; so, no movie-going for me until Jan. when the Oscar-bait and indy films come out here.

Also, my family insists on watching "Elf" every Christmas, so it adds an extra level of pain to the holiday.

Well, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Milk finally opened here (Columbia, SC) today. So, I went and watched both of them. Enjoyed them both, with Milk being one of the best this year. On Christmas I have to work, or I'd be seeing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button...

It's finally "embarrassment of riches" time here, at least by midwestern standards: Milk, Slumdog, and A Christmas Tale all opened today. And Ashes of Time Redux -- hard to resist Tony Leung on the big screen! Hmmm, which to see first??

Good point, Agustin, Zooey is awesome. It is just the rest of the movie I can't take. It's not a bad movie, just something about it combined with the Empire 100 top characters post is getting on my nerves today.

Is it just me, or is original screenplay exceptionally hard to read this year? It seems like there are more small indie films than usual that are getting attention across the board that would normally transfer to a nomination in this category. And all the big-tent screenplay awards are going to adapted works for some reason, so there's really no way to know until I guess the writer's guild awards.

The only two I can't see missing are Milk and Rachel Getting Married. Beyond that, there are just so many possibilities on equal footing. WALL•E seemed out until suddenly it had major best picture prospects. And there are so many acclaimed small films - Frozen River, The Visitor, In Bruges - for which a nomination here might be their only recognition. Plus a Woody picture. And a Charlie Kaufman picture. And The Wrestler, which you'd think could get in here if it's also gunning for director, actor, supporting actress, and song nominations.

There are no fewer than 10 films which literally wouldn't surprise me at all. Hence, just about anything could be snubbed, and many things will be. Harsh.

I am a new screenwriter, trying to jump on the scene. The problem is getting into the door of reputable producers and taking off. Check out my Logline to the first comedy I have ever wrote. I love this blog so much, thought I leave it behind, Real producers, dedproduct.com is where I write till the films leave the ground, and begin flying to God. Logline: A comedic twist of fate occurs when a manlate for work sees the biggest heist in history, and atwist of fate drives him to help police capture therobbers who did it.

Finally got a couple of screeners...The Wrestler and Burn After Reading!

Writers Guild getting everything...DGA, not so much.

So, weekend viewing set!

Also, checking out Slumdog and finally seeing Milk on Monday. Two in one day.

Had lunch with a Palm Springs film fest member today who tells me Revolutionary Road was her favorite...also, loved The Wrestler, hated Defiance. She said a ton of old people walked out on The Wrestler...blood and nudity too much for them!Interesting.

I saw The Reader last night. I think it is a great movie, which many of the critics have simply misjudged. Sure, Kate Winslett is great in it, but the story and the cinematography are not to be missed. I highly recommend it.